Effect of impurity Fe on corrosion behavior of AM50 and AM60 magnesium alloys

► The corrosion behavior of AM50 and AM60 magnesium alloys in 5% NaCl solution was considered together with EPMA examination. ► Fe impurity promotes the corrosion as the inclusions which contain Al, Mn, and Fe. ► The corrosion process is initiated in the microscopic vicinity of inclusions with high Fe content. ► The number of inclusions with a high Fe content increases with Fe/Mn ratio, leading to a higher macroscopic corrosion rate.